Fill in the Blank

“You’re prettier than your picture,” he says.
She answers, “Not really. My nose is too….”
I strain to hear how she finishes, but they’ve
tilted away from me. In a glimpse I take in two
young teens, and arcs of lives barely started.
She’s girl-next-door pretty and will break
hearts. “My nose is too….”–fill in the blank,
it doesn’t matter. She isn’t listening; already,
I fear for her broken heart. I want to tell her
“Listen to your heart”; I want her to know
someone will love her for her, will love
her nose just the way it is.

Andrew Shattuck McBride

**

“Fill in the Blank” is my August 14th poem for the postcard poem project. I used an antique card titled “Mount Baker and Mount Constitution [Washington].” The photo is taken of Mount Baker from Mount Constitution, so I added “Baker’s in the distance.” I mailed the card to Janeen R. of Marquette, Michigan.

Blessings to Janeen and all, Andy

Hey, we’re nearly halfway through this month of postcard poems! Yaayyy!